Penny Day
Head of UK and Ireland
Lot 88AR
Paul Henry R.H.A.(Irish, 1876-1958)Lough Corrib from Glenadda 50 x 59.8 cm. (19 5/8 x 23 1/2 in.)
15 June 2016, 15:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £27,500 inc. premium
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Christopher Dawson
Head of Department
Ingram Reid
Director
Paul Henry R.H.A. (Irish, 1876-1958)
Lough Corrib from Glenadda
signed 'Paul Henry' (lower right)
oil on canvas laid on board
50 x 59.8 cm. (19 5/8 x 23 1/2 in.)
Painted circa 1927-9
signed 'Paul Henry' (lower right)
oil on canvas laid on board
50 x 59.8 cm. (19 5/8 x 23 1/2 in.)
Painted circa 1927-9
Footnotes
Provenance
The collection of John and Mary Alnatt, formerly of Sandbrook House, Co. Carlow, Ireland
Thence by descent to the present owner
Private Collection, Ireland
Exhibited
Possibly London, Heal & Son, Pictures by Paul Henry, R.H.A., from 14 January 1946, cat.no.19 (as Lough Corrib)
This picture, which has Whistleresque overtones, depicts Lough Corrib, the second largest lake in Ireland, that lies between counties Galway and Mayo. The southern and eastern shores of the lake are mainly low-lying, but in the west and the north the foothills of the Iar-Chonnacht and the mountains of Joyce's Country crowd close to the waters. It must, therefore, be the latter ranges that form the backdrop to this scene.
The narrative of the scene is contained within the lower part of the composition in which Lough Corrib appears only as a narrow strip of blue paint, the surroundings being merely dots, which may possibly be cottages, and fields. The immediate foreground is also typical of Henry's technique where a dark area of trees contrasts with broken 'scrub' land and simply, but precisely, laid brushstrokes; while on the right hand side of the composition turf stacks, which have probably been recently cut, are assimilated into the darker area behind. The eye's recession is halted by the distant mountains of the Iar-Chonnacht and Joyce's Country. More than half of the canvas, however, is thus given to the sky which, as often, is the crowning glory of Henry's work and which brings a degree of lightness to the composition. The cumulous clouds in the sky, not threatening as yet, one knows will fall as rain before long.
We are grateful to Dr. S.B. Kennedy for compiling this catalogue entry.
